Matt Bottrill edges towards RTTC time trial series win

Prolific time trial winner Matt Bottrill (Drag2zero.com) took another step closer to securing the 2013 RTTC National Time Trial Series when he took a comfortable victory in the penultimate round in Leicestershire on Sunday.

He notched up his third win in the series, and although he is still only sixth in the overall table he looks good for victory as long as he can take a required fourth victory in the final round in Northamptonshire in two weeks.

Bottrill clocked a course record time of 51-22 for the CS/8 at Harby which covered 24.5 miles, adding to the wins he took in rounds two and three of the series.

Brett Harwood (Terry Wright Cycles) clocked 54-32 to take second, and lies third in the overall rankings, while Jack Green (VC St Raphael) was third with 55-48.

Fourth spot on the day was enough for Scott Walker (MG Décor) to take the overall lead by five points from previous leader Dean Robson (Somerset RC) who finished fifth.

Clare Ella (Born to Bike) won the women’s race over 14.1 miles with a time of 38-04, almost a minute quicker than her nearest rival. But with four good riders already under her belt, Rebecca Slack looks likely to win the overall.

Torrential rain and high winds forced the cancellation of Yorkshire Road Club’s open 50-mile TT on the A19 and A168 at Thirsk, North Yorkshire, on Sunday.

Manchester Wheelers duo Simon Bridge and Scott Burns made it a Manchester Wheelers one-two with sub-50 minute times in Stone Wheelers’ 25-mile event on the Blythe Bridge to Uttoxeter course on Saturday.

Bridge raced round the course on the A50 in exactly 49 minutes, leaving Burns trailing by 43 seconds. But he claimed second place by eight seconds from Charles Taylor (South Pennine RC). Six more riders were inside 52 minutes.

Luke Dix (Cardiff JIF) was fastest in the Cardiff 100 Miles RCC open 10-mile event on the A40 Hardwick-Raglan course on Saturday.

Dix covered the distance in 20-21 to finish with 15 seconds in hand over Ben Phillips (Bynea CC). Andrew Butcher (Cwmcarn Paragon) was a further five seconds back and, in a close battle for the placings, veterans Lyn Jones (EC Cycles) and Derek Smetham (Dursley RC) were also inside 21 minutes.

Steve Kane (Brighton Excelsior) pulled off a weekend double in East Sussex CA’s time trials over 10 and 25 miles .

Nick Dwyer (Lewes Wanderers) was a further six seconds down in third place, but veteran Dwyer moved up to take the runner-up spot behind Kane in Sunday’s ‘25′ at Maresfield. Kane finished in 52-44 to beat Dwyer by 42 seconds, leaving Steve Dennis (East Grinstead CC) to take third place, a further 14 seconds down.

Craig Wallace (Granite City RT), recently returned from a spell of racing in Belgium, was the fastest on the day with a time of 21-11 in Aberdeen Wheelers’ 10-mile event over a course on the A93 at Drumoak, near Peterculter,

Wallace, 18, overcame unfavourable conditions – with a strong wind and showers – to take the top spot despite runner-up Joe Nicholson, from the promoting club, recording a personal best 21-37.

Mick Jones (Derwentside CC) was fastest in Border City Wheelers’ open hill climb on the Hartside course in Cumbria on Sunday.

Jones covered the 5.3 miles in 17-45.9 and was the only rider inside 18 minutes, leaving Ian Taylor (Ciclocostablanca.com) to salvage the runner-up spot with 19-03.7. James Dobbin (Arctic-SRAM RT) was a further 17 seconds off the pace.